The Boy on the Bicycle

On the night of September 15, 1956, seven-year-old Wayne Mallette, was brutally murdered on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The chief suspect was a “boy on a bicycle” seen pedalling away from the CNE. More

On the night of September 15, 1956, seven-year-old Wayne Mallette, was brutally murdered on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The chief suspect was a “boy on a bicycle” seen pedalling away from the CNE.

Investigators zeroed on 14-year-old Ronald Moffatt, a former CNE employee who had the poor timing to run away from home shortly after the murder.

Moffatt was located, arrested and interrogated. He eventually confessed and was convicted.

The problem was, Moffatt couldn’t ride a bike and didn’t commit the crime. The real killer abused and murdered two more children, using his bike as a lure.

A shocking true story, about a coerced confession, fumbled police investigation, a miscarriage of justice, and the star lawyer who fought to free Moffatt from custody.

The Boy on the Bicycle is based on police files, interviews, original newspaper coverage, reports, books and documentaries.

A compelling story of 14-year-old Ronald Moffatt who was wrongly charged and convicted of murdering seven-year-old Wayne Mallette in 1956 Toronto. Nate Hendley weaves facts and narrative to cover all bases –flawed police procedure, the legal system, the hidden psyche of the real killer and Moffatt’s story of his childhood before and his terror during and after his ordeal.

-Sharon Crawford, crime author of Beyond Blood and Beyond the Tipping Point

The Boy on the Bicycle is an exceptional read and serves as a unique time capsule of the times and mores of post-WWII Toronto when murders were rare and sexual predators were practically unheard of. While Ronald Moffatt remains uncompensated for his wrongful conviction, it was Mr. Hendley’s wish to finally tell Ron’s story after these many years, which he has done in a direct, yet compassionate manner. Five stars!

-The Miramichi Reader

The amazing story of a 62-year-old wrongful conviction is revealed in a riveting new book, The Boy on the Bicycle, by Nate Hendley, a seasoned true-crime writer.

Nate Hendley was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1966 but grew up in Waterloo, ON.

From 1985 - 1989, he attended Trent University in Peterborough, ON, and graduated with an Honours BA in Cultural Studies. In 1990 he returned to school to study journalism at Conestoga College in Kitchener, ON. Shortly thereafter, he began freelancing.

Since the early 1990s, Nate has written hundreds of news articles, features, profiles, investigative pieces, advertorials, corporate stories and public relations items. His writing credits include The National Post, The Globe and Mail, Marketing Magazine, eye weekly, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Journal.

He is particularly adept at writing about political, social and cultural issues, automotive, high-tech and business topics and health-related concerns.

In addition to his work as a journalist, he is a published author, formerly with Altitude Publishing, and now with Five Rivers.

Nate has also published two children's books with Jackfruit Press of Toronto: Jean Chretien: The Scrapper Who Climbed His Way to the Top (2005) and William Lyon Mackenzie King: The Loner Who Kept Canada Together (2006). Nate has also written two books, Bonnie and Clyde: A Biography (published 2007) and American Gangsters (published 2010) for U.S. firm ABC-CLIO.

Nate is the Ontario Regional Director of the Professional Writers Association of Canada. PWAC is a national organization that represents the interests of freelance writers.

Nate lives in Toronto with a demanding cat.

He has a website at www.natehendley.com and a blog at http://crimestory.wordpress.com/